


March 2015 Prompt Fills

by UnmovingGreatLibrary



Category: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Touhou Project
Genre: Drabble Collection, F/F, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-03
Updated: 2015-03-21
Packaged: 2018-03-16 02:47:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 11,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3471527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnmovingGreatLibrary/pseuds/UnmovingGreatLibrary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(More) pairing-based prompt fills, from the list at http://peekbelowthesurface.tumblr.com/post/31877601594/send-me-a-number-and-two-characters-get-a-drabble</p><p>Contents:<br/>1. Seiga and Yoshika - Creation<br/>2. Renko and Maribel - Stars<br/>3. Aya and Reimu - Hold my Hand<br/>4. Akyuu and Kosuzu - Two Roads<br/>5. Utsuho and Rin - Heal<br/>6. Reimu and Sanae - Multitasking<br/>7. Meiling and Patchouli - Flowers<br/>8. Kanako and Suwako - Family<br/>9. Byakuren and Miko - Love<br/>10. Reimu and Marisa - Childhood/Are You Challenging Me?<br/>11. Alice and Marisa - Tower<br/>12. Raiko and Kogasa - Rainbow<br/>13. Homura and Mami - No Way Out</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Seiga and Yoshika - Creation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Tumblr user shoubyaku.

Even among hermits, the creation of jiang-shi was spoken of in whispers. It was a cursed art, practiced only by those who had turned their backs on humanity. It was a sin against the Tao itself. Its secrets were best kept locked away forever.

Seiga, of course, couldn't resist.

When the doors to the Hall of Dreams opened, she expected it to take days to find a body. Conveniently enough, there was a graveyard right outside. Within hours, she'd dug up the corpse from beneath the most weathered tombstone, and now it sat on the slab in front of her. She had only kept a handful of belongings in her tomb. (A true master of the Tao could survive on the gifts of provenance. Failing that, she was also _really good_ at stealing.) Among them, she had prepared all of the necessary supplies. Talismans, with the appropriate enchantments and rituals already applied. Cinnabar and arsenic, tiger claws and gold, everything she needed to preserve and animate the corpse. Clothing. And, most important for now, a leather bag containing surgical tools.

Where worms had chewed holes in the flesh, she sewed them up. Where the rotting joints had pulled apart, she reinforced them. She worked with an almost worshipful thoroughness. She had spent years of her life tracking down ancient texts on the topic. Assembling the ritual components had taken months more. Weeks to memorize the proper motions. By the time that she felt confident enough to pull it off, Miko had fallen sick, and other matters took priority. Now, after a millennium of waiting, her first servant had to be perfect.

Next, she applied restorative elixirs. Soaking into the flesh, they knitted it together into a whole, and the corpse was once again ready for life. It was a girl, and she'd been a pretty one. As she carried out the rituals, Seiga could almost imagine that she had laid down for a nap minutes earlier. Her skin was pale, but unblemished. Even her eyes, left staring up at the ceiling, looked moments away from awareness.

Once Seiga had finished the rituals and dressed the body, there was only one thing left. She pulled the top talisman from her stack, and with freshly-ground ink, wrote the most basic command that she could imagine: RISE AND OBEY. She took care to line the talisman up, and as she pressed it to the corpse's forehead, the first shudder of life ran through it.

Seiga took a step back and waited. Another shudder ran through the girl, and finally, her arms began clawing at the air. Resisting the urge to help, Seiga watched as the girl thrashed around on the table, then, stiffly, rose up to sitting. She gripped the edge of the slab, turned herself parallel to the nearest side, slid to the floor...

And immediately stumbled and fell. She landed on her side with a meaty thud and a soft, bewildered, “Guh.”

“Oh dear. Are you okay?” Seiga stepped over and crouched down. “Stand now. Are you ready? One... two... three... hup!” With both hands around one wrist, she tugged the girl back up to standing, then waited a moment for her to get her balance. Only then did she dare to take a step back and admire her handiwork. “There we go. I am your master. Do you understand? _Master_.”

The jiang-shi's eyes finally seemed to focus on her, but the girl stayed silent. Seiga was beginning to fear that she'd picked a body with a brain that was a bit _too_ rotten when she drawled, “Maaaaaaaaster.”

“Very good.” Seiga beamed. This necromancy thing was already paying off. “Do you remember your name?”

“Uh. Name?”

“Yes, yours,” she repeated patiently. “Do you remember it?”

“Um.” The girl tilted her head to the side, and made a gargling sound that somehow sounded as thoughtful as it did disgusting. “Nope!”

“Hmm. I'll admit, I don't know what sort of names are fashionable these days...” Glancing toward the doorway thoughtfully, she made up her mind. “Let's take a walk.”

* * *

It was easier said than done. By the time she coaxed the stiff-jointed girl up the hundreds of stairs that led out of the Hall of Dreams, the sun was already setting. She supposed it was just as well. Some things were best done under a cover of darkness, especially those that involved the undead. Once they were outside, she led the girl up and down the rows of gravestones, reading off names for the better part of an hour.

“Saito?”

The jiang-shi didn't respond.

“Hmm... Machida?”

The jiang-shi stumbled over a rock and let out a low gurgle.

“I'll take that as a no. Hmm. Miyako. Mi-ya-ko. Hmm.” Turning around, she said, “How do you like that? Miyako Yoshika. It's a pretty combination, isn't it?”

The girl stared at her for several seconds. Slowly, though, comprehension dawned on her face, and she grinned. “Miyako Yoshika!”

“Ahh, that's right! Good girl, good girl!” Before she thought better of it, Seiga had already reached over and patted the jiang-shi's head. Her near-helplessness wasn't the best trait for a servant, but it was endearing, she had to admit. Like a puppy. A big, undead puppy. Gently taking Yoshika's hand, she guided her toward the mausoleum again. “Now, let's get you something to eat, and then I'll introduce you to my allies. I think that we're going to get along _wonderfully._ ”


	2. Renko and Maribel - Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Tumblr user sevencoloreddolls.

There was only so much research that two college students without part-time jobs could do. With limited time and very little money, the Sealing Club had to stick to resources that were abundant and free of charge: posts on supernatural blogs, hunches, ominous dreams, suppositions, and above all, luck. Every trip that they took was time that might have been spent following up a more productive lead, so they tried to thoroughly investigate before every outing.

Even so, they couldn't all be winners.

Like tonight's target. It had been everywhere on the news. A chunk of lunar debris lands in rural Japan, and the impact pierces straight to a previously-unknown geothermal reservoir, filling the crater with a natural hot spring? That part, Maribel believed. Renko had shown her the orbital calculations that proved it had happened. But the supposition that the resulting springs were somehow linked to the moon, and anybody who bathed in them would be imbued with mysterious lunar energies?

“No matter how you look at it, it really is just a pool of normal water, isn't it?” Maribel said with a sigh, once she tired of swirling her toes in it.

“Kinda seems like it, huh?” Renko said. “The boundaries and things aren't...?”

“Weird? Not really. At least, I don't notice anything.” Scooting away from the pool, Maribel pulled her foot out, then slid her shoe back on. “Maybe if we take a look around, I'll see something.”

“We might as well, since we're out here.”

With a nod, Maribel pushed herself to standing, then chose a direction at random and began walking. The area had previously been forest, but already, that was changing. The trees that hadn't been knocked down by the impact were being cleared to make way for sidewalks, roads, and buildings. She was sure that within a year, the place would have a resort town springing up around it. She tried to turn her thoughts away from those topics and toward the supernatural, but it was no use. This place had no more relation to the moon than anywhere else she'd ever been.

“We've been out here for thirty-six minutes and twenty-two seconds already. How long do you think we should look?”

“Hmm, I don't know.” Maribel looked over her shoulder. Behind her, Renko was in a position that she'd long ago grown familiar with, walking with her head tilted back and staring at the heavens. She shuffled as she did so, taking short, shallow steps to keep from tripping. Maribel laughed softly at the sight. “Afraid you might get lost?”

“Hmm? No.” Renko lowered her eyes now, then reached back to rub her neck. “It's just nice to know where you are, you know?”

“Hmm, but do you really? _Where_ is a matter of human judgment. The stars might tell you your coordinates, but they won't tell you that it's a hot springs.”

“That's only temporary, though. In ten years, this place could be a strip mine or something. If you rely on local landmarks, it's easy to get lost. Nothing we do is going to change the stars.”

“Hmm, is that so?” The pair were passing into a more heavily wooded area now. Maribel hopped up on top of a downed log and carefully balanced along it. “I guess I understand it, then.”

“Really? That was quick. Usually you'd argue for an hour.”

“Nope! It makes perfect sense. An external, immutable source of truth, right? So no matter what, you'll always have one thing that you can trust?”

“Yeah... that's a pretty good way of putting it.”

“Well, in that case... You're my stars.” Maribel came to a stop on the log, and spun on one foot to face Renko again. “I mean. No matter how lost I get or how weird my dreams are, I can always count on you to point me in the right direction afterward.”

“I-I... see.” Renko's blush looked like it was threatening to overtake her entire face. She looked aside, pulling her hat down slightly to help hide her embarrassment. A moment passed, with no sound except the chirp of crickets, before she attempted a change of subject. “Do you think we should head back?”

Maribel smirked proudly at the response. “Yeah... I think this one's a bust. But!” She hopped off of the log. “... I really don't know which way is back to the train station.”

Renko looked away with a sigh. “For somebody who thinks they're so important, you don't pay much attention to your surroundings.” Before Maribel could respond, she reached over, grabbing the other girl's hand. “It's getting pretty dark, so don't let go, okay?”

This time, Maribel was the one left stunned. Her breath caught in her throat, before she slowly relaxed, with a smile spreading on her face. Giving Renko's hand a squeeze, she said, “Okay.”


	3. Aya and Reimu - Hold my Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Tumblr user matiasalbertini.

Aya sighed and flopped back, stretching her wings to work off a little tension. The night had started off feeling like a big adventure. The snacks that she'd brought still littered the floor of the shrine, mixed in with enough scribbled notes for half a dozen articles. It had been fun at first.

Now, though... she should have told Reimu to turn back as soon as she ran into that oni, she decided. Looking back, that much was obvious. She'd thought that Reimu could handle it—she was pretty strong for a human, after all—but there was stuff underground that just didn't have equals on the surface. Over the night, she'd been able to hear Reimu's voice growing weaker.

The yin-yang orb, sitting on the table in front of her, remained silent. She hadn't heard a peep from it in fifteen minutes. There hadn't even been a confrontation or something before the silence. That was the worst part. For all she knew, Reimu had been clubbed over the head and eaten by some youkai, who was now listening to the orbs for entertainment.

But Aya wasn't giving up that easily. She leaned forward and gave the orb a sharp smack on the side. That always seemed to help with kappa-made radios. “Reimu. Hey, Reimu, are you there? You've got to answer if you're there, you know. You're startin' to make me pretty worried. Ehe.” 

Miraculously, she heard something stirring on the other side. She went dead silent, unable to take her eyes off the orb, until she heard coughing. “Hey! Reimu! Can you, um, give me an update on what happened?”

“Huh...?” Reimu's voice sounded far away. There was a rustling noise as she apparently picked up one of the orbs. “Nothing... I just... nngh. It's really hot down here. I think I fainted. I really need a drink...”

Aya had grabbed her notebook and prepared to take notes, but now froze. “A-ah, huh, is that so...? Where are you now?”

“I don't know... some cave. The walls are on fire.”

“Right, right! The Hell of Blazing Fires, remember? Okay, remember that mansion you just said you were at? Do you think she'd give you some water if you went back?”

There were a few seconds of silence, and Aya was afraid that she'd lost Reimu again. “But the incident...”

“Hey, hey, that's going to be fine, alright? We'll figure something out. For now, let's get you home.”

* * *

Once Reimu had gotten a drink and rested up for a few minutes, Aya had a harder choice to make. Reimu really shouldn't have been traveling in her condition... but she also really needed to get out of the Underworld. Half the youkai down there were man-eaters. She wouldn't last long if word got around that a weakened human was trapped down there.

So, she'd talked Reimu into leaving the safety of the Palace and heading back toward the surface. It came with its own risks. “Alright, I'm back at the edge of the, um... the...” Reimu trailed off, her voice barely above a mumble. “Capital. The city.”

“Right, right, that's good! Do you see the cave in front of you?”

“Yeah, but...”

“You're almost home, okay? Just head back up the blowhole.” Aya paused for a few seconds, and heard no response. “Reimu? Did you hear?”

“Huh? Yeah, I'm going...”

This wasn't good. At this rate, Reimu was going to collapse again. Unlike the blazing hell, the rest of the Underworld was full of youkai. If she fainted again...

Right. Aya had made up her mind. Grabbing the yin-yang orb, she rose to standing, pulled her geta back on, and hurried out the door. It wasn't a long run to the geyser, but she still didn't dare to stop talking to Reimu for a moment. “Hey, are you still going?”

“I'm at the hole... it's really tall, though.”

“Just hold on, I'll be there soon, okay? Reimu?”

“'m comin' up...”

Reimu sounded half-dead. No time to waste, then. Aya kept up her sprint to the edge of the geyser. When she reached it, she tossed the yin-yang orb to the ground and leapt, pivoting midair to fly down at an angle along the walls.

The moonlight faded behind her, but there was still just enough light for her tengu eyes to pick out the walls. No sign of Reimu, though. Aya's thoughts grew more frantic. Tucking her wings in, she pulled herself into a straight dive, hurling toward the bottom as fast as gravity would let her. She was just starting to lose hope when she finally spotted a speck of red and white in the depths below.

Unfurling her wings and exerting her full force, she barely managed to come to a stop meters above Reimu. The shrine maiden looked terrible. Her skin was both too pale and red at the same time, and her flight was slow and meandering. The yin-yang orbs trailed behind her in a ragged line. Her eyes stared blankly into the near-total darkness. “Somebody there...?”

“Hey. It's just your friendly neighborhood Shameimaru.” Reaching down, she touched her hand lightly to Reimu's. “I thought you could use the help. Grab on.”

Reimu still didn't seem able to see her, but the sound of her voice brought a tired smile to her face. “Thanks...” she said. Her too-warm hand wrapped around Aya's, and soon, they were headed for home.


	4. Akyuu and Kosuzu - Two Roads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Tumblr user hungry0bookworm.

“Kosuzu, don't you think this is a bit... much?”

“Huh? What do you mean? It's pretty neat, isn't it?”

Suzunaan's newest acquisition had been, somehow, a new crate of youma books. A crate of youma _children's_ books, according to Kosuzu, created for young tengu and kappa. In some ways, they were tamer than the shop's usual fare. There were no ancient monsters sealed within, and they held a distinct lack of eldritch secrets.

In other ways, they were much more... showy. The one that Kosuzu had open now, in fact, had covered the interior of the shop with tiny illusions. On every horizontal surface, tiny figures acted out the book's scenes. Akyuu carefully lifted her skirt and shuffled around a long group of illusionary kappa walking along the side of a river with supplies. “I mean, no matter how you look at it, these are still books for youkai.”

“Aw, but they're kind of cute!” Kosuzu flipped to the next page, and the illusions flickered. On the desk in front of her, a group of tiny kappa now cooperated to build a dam. “They're not hurting anything, right?”

“Well, no... but do you think that most people would be so comfortable filling their house with youkai illusions?”

“Hmm, I guess not.” Kosuzu reached out to poke one of the illusionary kappa in the head. When the tiny girl stumbled and fell over in response, she blinked and hefted her back up to standing by her backpack. Distractedly, she said, “But that's just part of working at a store like this.”

“That's what I'm afraid of. There are only two ways to exist in Gensokyo: As a human, and as a youkai.” Kosuzu turned the page again, and in front of her, an illusionary river now ran across the desk. A kappa popped out of it and snatched a human. The human gave a cartoonish look of surprise before he was dragged under. Akyuu did her best to ignore the scene. “Straying too far from either path only can only end in tragedy. I've... seen it happen before.”

“... a-ah, hey, Akyuu, come on!” Laughing under her breath, Kosuzu closed the book and gave Akyuu a reassuring smile. “I'm still a human, okay? 100%, even! Youma books are just fun to think about, that's all.”

Akyuu held Kosuzu's gaze, but couldn't detect any hint that her friend was lying. With a relieved sigh, she shook her head. “I know. I just get worried sometimes.” The sound of a bird chirping came in through the open door, and she glanced toward it. It _did_ give her an idea. That was probably Kosuzu's problem, she decided. Spending all this time cooped up with her youma books, and barely seeing humanity outside of the store's customers. “I'm feeling healthy today, and it's nice weather,” she said, and offered over her hand with a smile. “Do you want to close the store for a while and go for a walk?”

* * *

Six years later, Kosuzu clenched her teeth to keep herself silent as she climbed the fence around the Hieda family mansion. The Child of Miare was considered a dear enough treasure that the family kept guards posted at all hours. Over the years, most of the guards had learned to ignore Kosuzu's comings and goings... but it paid to be careful. Tonight was a full moon, but the light was unnecessary. She had long ago memorized the layout of the gardens. By muscle memory alone, she knew the right place to swerve to avoid the koi pond, and exactly where she needed to hop to avoid trampling any flowers. Soon, she was at the back of the house itself.

Pushing open the door—not the closest one, but the next one down, which was much quieter in her experience—she slipped inside and made her way to Akyuu's bedroom. Predictably, Akyuu was curled up on her futon, fast asleep. As she watched, Akyuu shivered, her breath catching in her throat. Kosuzu winced. She'd seen a lot of Akyuu's sleeping face, and it was becoming obvious that her sleep was becoming more fitful lately. When she was awake, she hid her pain well. When she was asleep, it was becoming harder and harder for anybody to pretend that the Child of Miare was healthy.

Crouching down, Kosuzu gently shook her shoulder. “Hey, Akyuu. Sorry to wake you up. I think we need to talk.”

* * *

Taking longer than usual to wake up was another recent development, but Kosuzu was used to that, too. After sneaking through the house to get Akyuu a glass of water, they'd ended up sitting at the back door, looking out over the garden. It was a warm night, the moonlit scenery was beautiful, and Akyuu was leaning against her shoulder, taking sips of water. If the circumstances that brought her here had been better, she would have considered it a wonderful night.

“So,” Akyuu said quietly, once she was fully awake. “What's wrong?”

“Um, well! Do you... remember our first date?”

“I remember everything, of course. Did you mean our first formal date, or...?”

“The one when we were kids, I mean.”

“Mmh.” Akyuu yawned, and squirmed briefly to settle into a more comfortable position against Kosuzu's shoulder. “The one when we stopped for yakitori, and you stuck the skewers up your nose and made silly faces for half an hour?”

“Yeah, that one...” Neither of them had really planned it that way, but the walks had become a regular occurrence. Soon they had become more formal occasions and... well, here they were. “That was one of the first times you warned me that youma books might lead me from the path of humanity, I think...”

“Right...” Akyuu said. “What about it?”

Kosuzu looked down to her lap, where her hands were balled into fists. Reluctantly, she forced herself to unclench them, and held them up for inspection. Even in the moonlight, it was obvious: Her fingernails had been replaced by short, sharp claws. “I-I'm _so sorry._ ”


	5. Utsuho and Rin - Heal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Tumblr user algorithm-instructed.

Spell card duels were designed to be nonlethal, but that didn't mean that losing them was pleasant. Rin had been hit by half a dozen ofuda, herself. Each one was about as pleasant as taking a brick to the face. That had been a few days ago, and only now was she able to walk without too many aches.

Okuu had taken a lot, _lot_ more. It wasn't just that, though. In the days before the shrine maiden had come down, she hadn't been herself. It was like she'd been possessed. She burnt with a bright flame wherever she went. During the battle, she'd fought well past the point when it was obvious that she was defeated, cackling and throwing out walls of stars until she looked like she might collapse from exertion.

And now, she was paying the price. Rin cracked open the door and flattened her ears to her head as she peeked into Okuu's room. It was one of the largest ones in the mansion... ostensibly because she felt more comfortable if she could fly, but Rin suspected that it had something to do with her hoarding tendencies, too. The place was packed, filled wall to wall with every interesting rock, bone, shiny object, item from the surface, and colorful bit of cloth that Utsuho had found over the years. It was enough of a mess that Rin couldn't determine anything from the doorway, so she carefully stepped over a pile of tools by the doorway and made her way inside.

Fortunately, Okuu was sleeping in her regular spot. In the center of the room, she'd piled pillows, cushions, curtains, and whatever other soft household item met her mysterious criteria. The end result was something like a nest. It was pretty comfy, Rin had to admit. Usually she'd dive right in there with her, but today, it was probably best to exercise caution. Okuu was laying on her stomach, with her wings sprawled out over the pile. She wasn't wearing a single article of clothing, but for once, she had a pretty good excuse: between ofuda impacts, self-inflicted burns, and bruises, there was barely a spot on her without red marks. None of it would normally slow a youkai down, but the exertion had obviously taken a lot out of her.

Coming up alongside the pile, Rin leaned over her. “Hey, Okuu. Ya awake? I've got something for ya.”

“Mnuh.” One of Utsuho's wings gave a lazy flick in the air, and she buried her face against a pillow. “Go 'way.”

“Okuuuuuu.” Rin crouched down, and held up one of the two items that she'd brought with her. On the plate was a slab of meat, large enough that it threatened to spill off the edges. Raw on the inside and charred to a blackened crisp on the outside, just the way that Utsuho liked them. Holding it up, she waved it near the girl's face, letting the smell waft at her. “C'mon, lazy-butt, I've got stuff to make ya better.”

Rin knew that Okuu was still trying to ignore her, but it was a losing battle. She could _hear _her stomach grumble in response to the smell. Soon enough, Utsuho was upright, sitting with her legs crossed and the meat held in both hands. It seemed to put some energy back into her. She was still pale, but she was more animated now, taking bites half as big as her head, with blood running down her chin. Only once she had eaten half of it did she pause for long enough to speak, her eyes focusing on the other item in Rin's hands. “What's that?”__

__“This,” Rin said proudly, holding up the bottle. “Is special oni seven-herb medicinal sake. Uh. Normally, somethin' like this would knock you off your butt and just make you sicker, but Lady Satori thinks it oughta be okay now. You know, because of you bein' a god or whatever.”_ _

__“Ah.” Okuu shifted the meat to one hand, and wiped her mouth with the back of her arm. “... that's pretty neat! Can I try it?”_ _

__“Yep! That's the idea.” Rin gritted her teeth as she tugged on the cap. It dislodged with an audible _pop_ , and she was instantly struck by the smell. It was a sharp, cloying, chemical odor that drowned out everything else, like eucalyptus and moth balls and rubbing alcohol all mashed up and shoved right in her face. She coughed, and without thinking, held it farther away. “I-it definitely smells, uh, medicine-y!”_ _

__“Huh. Lemme see.” Okuu reached out for the bottle, sniffed it, and cringed._ _

__“Yeah, I know. If you don't wanna...”_ _

__“Nah. It's what I've got to do to get better, right?” Okuu took a deep breath to prepare herself. “Here goes!” Tilting the bottle back, she raised it straight up and began gulping the contents. Having smelled them, just the sight was enough to make Rin cringe. When she yanked it away, a good ten seconds later, she started coughing violently, hunched over. “O-oh. Oh wow. Fuck. Th-that was a really bad idea.”_ _

__“Are you gonna be okay?” Rin crept up to sit alongside Okuu on the pile of clothes, and gave her a gentle pat on the back. Just to be safe, she also reached over and pulled the bottle away and slapped the cap back on._ _

__By the time Okuu stopped coughing, she was left out of breath. “Y-yeah. I think so. Um.” Straightening up, she took a deep breath, and seemed pleased with the results. “But I feel better, I guess.”_ _

__“Good. I was worried for a while, y'know? She really did a number on ya.”_ _

__“I guess I kinda had it coming, though.” Okuu shoved the last of the steak into her mouth, and Rin was sure that it was intended to get the taste of the medicine out of her mouth. She stared at her lap thoughtfully as she ate. “Hey, um, Orin?”_ _

__“Yeah?”_ _

__“Sorry about all that stuff. I just kinda thought... I dunno. It'd make Lady Satori proud or something? I'm not good at word stuff. I guess I just caused a bunch of trouble for you guys, huh.”_ _

__“You really did,” Rin agreed. Sitting the bottle aside, she flopped back onto the nest. “But don't worry about that, got it? All you've gotta do for now is get better.”_ _

__“Yeah, got it.” With a slight grunt of pain, Okuu rolled over onto her stomach and sprawled out again, hooking one arm around Rin's waist. With a yawn, she said, “Not doing anything today, are you?”_ _

__“Tired again already? Jeez.” She scooted closer, though, and planted a kiss on Okuu's cheek. “I think the reactor can watch itself for a bit, yeah. C'mon, let's get some rest.”_ _


	6. Reimu and Sanae - Multitasking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Tumblr user nulldriver.

“Um, Sanae? Did you hear me?” When Reimu got no response, she shoved her hand down, directly in between Sanae's eyes and the screen of her handheld game. That finally seemed to snap Sanae's attention back to the present, and she scrambled to hit the pause button.

“Oh, huh? Sorry, I was on a hard part. What were you saying?”

“Marisa was talking about going out for dinner. I actually have a little money for once,” Reimu said, and leaned over to pour herself another cup of tea. With her girlfriend's head in her lap, she had to be careful not to tip over, but she'd gotten used to it. “You seem pretty busy, though...”

“Ah, no, that sounds good!” Sanae said. The game was already unpaused again. “Where are we going?”

“I was thinkin' the lamprey cart. Sometimes she does this two-for-one thing the day before the fish market. It's _great_ , you can eat 'til your eyes pop out,” Marisa said. “You two can pick, though, you're the couple.”

“Mmhm,” Sanae said, with her tongue was sticking out of the corner of her mouth in concentration.

Reimu watched the screen, as Sanae did... something. She couldn't really follow this stuff. It seemed to get her a lot of points, though. “We could probably just eat Marisa,” she said, in a conversational tone.

“Don't wanna brag, but I bet I'm super delicious.”

“Sounds good,” Sanae mumbled, without looking up.

Reimu sighed. Ever since the Moriya shrine had gotten wired up to the fusion reactor's electricity grid, the tone of Sanae's visits had kind of changed. Lowering her hand, she blocked Sanae's view again. When Sanae paused the game and looked up, she explained, “You just agreed to eat Marisa.”

“O-oh! Hehe, um!” Sanae sat bolt upright now, closing the game and tucking it away... then hanged her head sheepishly. “That bad, huh?”

“You've been looking at that thing since you got here.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Sanae said, rubbing at the back of her neck. It didn't last for long, though, before she perked back up, grinning proudly. “Ah! I know how to fix it, though! I won't touch it again tonight, but next time I come, I'll bring something that'll make it all better. Deal?”

Reimu eyed her, confused. She wasn't sure that the situation really needed a remedy, other than Sanae paying more attention to conversations. But... “Um, sure, whatever works. So are we doing lamprey?”

* * *

“ _This_ is your plan to make things better?”

“Yep!” Sanae said. Sitting down next to Reimu, she held out one of the two identical games in her lap. “This one used to be Lady Kanako's. She doesn't really use it anymore, though, so now it's yours!”

“How is this supposed to stop you from being distracted when we're hanging out, though?”

“It's not! But this way...” Sanae hit a few buttons on hers, then turned it around, grinning. On the screen was a menu, with the words **Co-op Mode** highlighted. “We can play together.”

Reimu looked blankly down at her own. “I don't know... this sort of thing just seems like a waste of time.”

“Just give it a try, okay? If you don't like it after half an hour, I'll stop playing when we're together, I promise.”

“Well... okay.” Reimu unfolded the device, and uncomfortably settled her hands into position on the unfamiliar controls. “Half an hour, then I'm done.”

* * *

“Yo, Reimu! There's this—oh, come on, you've gotta be friggin' kidding me.”

In front of the shrine, Reimu and Sanae were sitting side by side, both looking down at the games in their hands. For a few seconds, tinny electronic bloops filled the air, before Reimu said, “Hi, Marisa.”

“Since when do you have one of those things?”

“Since...” Reimu trailed off, jerking in her seat as she forcefully mashed a few buttons. She let out a sigh of relief afterward, and only then did she finish, “Sanae brought it.”

“Huh. Well, anyway, there's this waterfall on the other side of Youkai Mountain, and I heard that there's a cave behind it that smugglers used to hide stuff in. Sounds pretty neat, right? Wanna go check it out?”

“Um, hold on. … it's Helm of the Bloodthirster, right?”

“Huh? Yeah, that's the last piece I need,” Sanae said, then her expression perked up. “Y-you didn't...”

“Yeah, I just looted it off Abraxas. Nothing I needed, as usual,” Reimu sighed, but her annoyance was tempered by the way that Sanae tugged her into an excited hug and started squealing. Blushing, she shot Marisa an apologetic glance. “Maybe later?”


	7. Meiling and Patchouli - Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Tumblr user transpatchouli.

The trip from the library to the front gate was about as far as Patchouli regularly traveled. It was the perfect weather for a walk, though. The sky was a mottled gray, heavy with clouds. Warm, but not too hot. Humid, but not humid enough to trigger her asthma. By the time she reached her destination, she was in an uncharacteristically cheerful mood.

So, she wasn't even particularly upset when Meiling greeted her with, “A-ah, Lady Patchouli, it's pretty rare to see you out here!” The gatekeeper blinked, seeming to realize her rudeness, and added, “Er, I mean. Good morning! Is there something I can do for you?”

“Good morning. I'm looking for a flower. Sakuya thought you might know about it.”

“Hmm? Which one?”

“ _Aubrieta deltoidea_ ,” Patchouli said. “It's commonly know as aubretia, lilacbush...”

“Oh! Purple rock cress!”

“Yes, that's the one.” Patchouli had been preparing to show her a picture from the book tucked under her arm, but was pleased to find that it was unnecessary. “Do you know where I could find some?”

“Oh, yeah, we've got a lot in the garden. This way!” Without waiting for a response, Meiling took off along the walkway that led around the back of the mansion. “So, what do you want it for, anyway?”

“Alchemy,” Patchouli said. For once, she had enough breath to walk and talk at the same time. The masses of spring flowers hemming in either side of the walkway were worrying, though. She and pollen had never gotten along. Best to get this over with quickly. “It's for a potion for improved circulation and clarity of thought.”

“Ahh, hmm. Pheasant's eye is good for circulation, too. We could pick some of that while you're out here, if you want.”

“This is more powerful than simple herbalism,” Patchouli said reproachfully. “... but I'm surprised that you know that.”

“Taking care of the gardens is more like a hobby than a duty. I really enjoy it! It's like each flower has its own personality and its own way of expressing nature, you know?”

The weighty topic of whether or not flowers had personalities was one that Patchouli preferred not to have an opinion on. “Do you know all of the flowers in the garden, then?”

“Of course! Go on, pick one.”

Patchouli paused and looked out over the garden. The flowers were artfully arranged, not just by color, but by size and shape and color, making it more like a three-dimensional sculpture than a mere painting. She would have no hope of creating something similar, but she could respect artistry when she saw it. Half of the varieties were complete mysteries to her, though. Purely ornamental flowers weren't high on her list of interests. That just meant that it would be a learning opportunity. Choosing a taller plant nearly at random, Patchouli pointed to it. “That one.”

“Oh, um, that's moonlight primrose. That was really hard to get, actually! I had to spend a few months searching for it.”

“... why so long? Does it have medicinal uses?”

“Hmm? No, I just think it looks pretty.” Smiling, Meiling crouched down by the path and cupped one of the flowers in her hand to show it off. “They're kind of hard to take care of, but I think it's worth it. They're good for drawing in your eye, since they're taller than a lot of the others, but not so showy that they hold your attention for too long.”

“I see,” Patchouli said. “Are all of the flowers ones that you've tracked down individually?”

“Yeah, most of them.” Standing back up, Meiling wiped her hands on the front of her dress and looked out over the garden. “I guess most people would say it's a bit of a waste. With all the time I dedicated to this stuff, I could have mastered half a dozen martial arts or something, ehe. But it's what makes me happy, I guess.”

Patchouli nodded, with a slight smile. Such a purely decorative art was something that she could never dedicate so much of her time to, personally. But she couldn't bring herself to criticize Meiling. Being passionate about one's interests was practically the core requirement for being a magician, and Meiling was nothing if not passionate right now. She looked ready to start bouncing up and down with excitement. Patchouli supposed that the garden got very few visitors, and even fewer of them who were interested in hearing what she had to say about it.

Before she'd left the library, Patchouli had neatly laid out her alchemical apparatuses. Everything was prepared, just awaiting the addition of this final ingredient. But... “Meiling, it occurs to me that I've rarely been in any condition to see the gardens during the spring. Would you like to show me around?”

Meiling stiffened up, her eyes going wide. “Y-you really want...? Everything?”

“Everything,” Patchouli said. “I have a few hours. If you are free, of course.”

“Ah!” The noise that Meiling let out was best described as a squeak of joy. “Let's start with the lily of the valley! It won't be blooming for much longer!” She wrapped Patchouli's hand in her much stronger grip, and before Patchouli could even think to protest, she was tugged excitedly along into the garden.


	8. Kanako and Suwako - Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Tumblr user c0lb0h.

The entire living area of the shrine had been filled with the clamor for either just under five minutes, or practically forever, depending on who you asked.

Kanako was definitely on the 'practically forever' side. “Sanae,” she said softly, and reached for the ladle that the girl was currently beating against the floor. “Why don't we play some other game?”

“No!”

“We're going to play another game,” Kanako said. This time, she grabbed the ladle, stopping it in midair. Sanae tugged at it. As soon as she found that she couldn't get it to budge, she let out a grunt of frustration. Within seconds, she was bawling.

Kanako sighed and scooped the girl up, holding her against one shoulder. Sanae held onto the ladle, clutching it to her chest with both hands. From her spot sitting on the countertop, Suwako watched this with a smirk. “I think you're getting the hang of this parenting thing!”

“I'm getting a headache, mostly.” Kanako trailed off, as she started shushing Sanae and rocking the girl back and forth. “We'll play another game, but you have to stop crying first, okay? Can you do that for me?”

“Hey. Hey, Sanae,” Suwako said. The girl lifted her head, still making choking sounds and blinking away tears, but no longer sobbing. “Look at this!” She cupped her hands together. When she opened them with a flourish, there was a fat little frog sitting in her palm.

Sanae's eyes instantly fixated on it, and her entire body went still. “Frog.”

“Frog!” Suwako repeated. She slid down to the floor, with the frog still cupped in her hands. “You can pet him, but you have to be gentle, 'kay?”

Kanako sighed with relief as Sanae quieted down. After gently prying the ladle from the girl's hands, she lowered her to the floor. Sanae only managed a few steps before stumbling and falling on her butt, but she didn't seem to mind. Soon, she was watching in amazement as Suwako showed off her frog.

In some ways, Kanako was jealous. Suwako hadn't physically incarnated outside of the shrine in years. She could afford to be Sanae's 'imaginary friend,' using as many small miracles as she wanted. Kanako didn't have that luxury. She was the one who had to pose as Sanae's caretaker in public. It was best if she acted like a normal human around her until the girl was old enough to understand the need for discretion.

On the floor, Sanae was now burbling with delight as Suwako put the frog through a series of tricks. “You know,” Kanako said dryly. “Most children don't learn 'frog' as one of their first ten words.”

“Hehe, maybe. But, most kids aren't my little Sana-chan~.” Suwako cupped her hands around the frog again, and slowly pushed them closer to the girl's face. The girl fixated on them, her eyes going wide with apprehension. “Ain't that right, Sana-chan?” She opened her hands, and the frog launched itself out to land on Sanae's head. The girl squealed in surprise, and while she was distracted, Suwako dove in, tickling her belly.

* * *

Kanako did have to hand it to Suwako: She was really, really good at tiring children out. Within twenty minutes, she'd sapped most of Sanae's energy, and the girl was finally napping. The nursery had been repurposed from a general-purpose room on short notice, but it still had all of the basics: a changing table, a high chair, a dresser, and a crib. Toys were heaped in one corner, even though she wasn't old enough to play with most of them yet. In the crib was a cuddly stuffed snake, which Kanako had spent more time tracking down than she would care to admit.

Seeing Sanae curled up with it made the effort all worth it.

“Ahh, she gave in, huh?” Suwako said from the doorway. She stepped into the room and stood alongside Kanako, watching the sleeping girl in silence for a few minutes. “Her parents still haven't...?”

“Nothing in the mail, no.”

“Psh.” Suwako shook her head and looked up to the ceiling, interlacing her fingers behind her head. “I always knew her mother was a good-for-nothing. You're a better mom already.”

“Thank you,” Kanako said with a smile. “... is this really okay, though?”

“Sure, why not? My descendents are gods by birthright. It's about time that one of them remembered that. Fading away is one thing, but I'll be damned if I'm remembered for begetting a line of... of _office ladies_.” Suwako hopped up to sit on the edge of the crib, stroking the sleeping girl's hair. She was still incorporeal, but Kanako could swear that Sanae squirmed in response. “... you're okay with it, right?”

“Well, she's very noisy. But... it's nice to have some noise in this shrine, for a change.”

“Uh-huh.” Suwako pulled her hand back, then looked to Kanako with a smirk. “Plus you make the 'mommy' thing look _good_.”

Kanako was caught off-guard. She froze, stunned and blushing, and Suwako took the opportunity to lean in for a peck on the cheek. Once she'd recovered, Kanako shook her head with an exasperated sigh and tugged Suwako down. “Come on, we're going to wake her up.”

“I mean it!” Suwako protested. “This morning, when you didn't have time to brush your hair or change out of your bed clothes? It's a good look for you!”

“Dear?”

“Hmm?”

“You're a little shit.”


	9. Byakuren and Miko - Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by an anonymous Tumblr user.

'Religious debates,' they had said, back when they started meeting in private. It really had been their intention. Maintaining an active dialogue of faiths was important to Gensokyo's future, and as newcomers, they were still deciding on their religions' places in society.

When they'd started going to festivals together, it was 'socializing.' It was perfectly normal, really. Their followers wouldn't be able to relax and unwind with them around, so it was better to spend the time together. In any case, it was important for the leaders of such opposing factions to have a working relationship. Obviously.

After about the third time that Miko and Byakuren had spent an evening together, they started running out of excuses. That just meant that they resorted to secrecy. Today, Miko had dressed in her plainest attire—which, admittedly, had still cost more than many houses. She'd even left her earmuffs at home, settling for less conspicuous earplugs and covering her head with a hood.

Miko had sneaked past death before, but that hadn't felt half as transgressive as when she slipped out of Senkai to go meet with Byakuren.

Byakuren was waiting at the usual spot, an otherwise unimportant crossroads just outside of the human village. She, too, had gone for subterfuge. Her hair was pulled back into a bun and hidden under her hat, and her outfit was covered by a cloak. When Miko approached, she tilted her hat back and smiled teasingly. “Good evening. I was starting to wonder if you were going to show.”

“I always keep my obligations. Where do you want to go tonight?”

“Hmm. Perhaps along Genbu Ravine?”

“That's fine with me,” Miko said, and turned to lead the way. Between the two of them, there weren't many places that they could spend time together. Byakuren's dietary restrictions ruled out most dining establishments. Miko preferred to avoid anywhere that was too loud, and discretion meant that public places just weren't a great idea to begin with.

So. Until somebody opened an unpopular vegetarian restaurant, long walks in the wilderness were their best bet. Miko had always been much more comfortable in cities, but she didn't mind. Once they were far enough from the village, she even dared to push her hood back and pull her earplugs out. Even in the wilderness, there were still plenty of noises: distant birdsong, the rustle of leaves in the wind, water burbling in the stream. If she listened closely enough, she could even hear the sound of Byakuren's heart over her footsteps and rustling clothes.

When they were even further outside of the village, Byakuren stepped up alongside her. With a casual ease that belied the act's significance, she took Miko's hand. “So, how are your followers doing?”

“I've been encouraging them to get out more. Our influence can't spread if we always cultivate our power in secret.”

“Ah,” Byakuren said, with a sly smile. “Shady-sounding tactics for a shady-sounding religion.”

“In practice, it means that Tojiko is getting to know the mistress of the Netherworld, and Futo is helping to train the village's youkai hunters. … or trying to, at least. I'm afraid they can't understand her diction half of the time.” Miko chuckled. “And yours?”

Byakuren started her response, and Miko easily filed it away. She was more interested in Byakuren's actions than her words, really. Every little thing that she did, from the way that she tugged at the hem of her cloak to the tone of her voice, combined to paint a comprehensive picture of her emotions. She was genuinely happy to talk about her followers, and the topic seemed to comfort her. She was anxious about the possibility of making a fool of herself or doing something that she shouldn't. She felt guilty for being so familiar with somebody who had used her religion as a political tool.

And, she was very pleased about holding Miko's hand.

It pleased Miko more than it should have. As always, she found herself analyzing it. She could write entire essays about how Byakuren was one of the few people that she could call an equal, or how Byakuren took an interest in her as a person, not for her knowledge. She was an accomplished poet, and could fill a book describing the ways in which Byakuren's quest for eternal youth made her a kindred spirit, or about how she admired the colors of the woman's hair when it caught the light.

Actually _doing_ any of that might be a bit much. But even so.

They were well into the ravine now, hemmed in on both sides by rising rock walls. Even a kappa would be hard pressed to spy on their conversation here. Miko took a step toward the banks, where the stream was swirling in a calm pool. She was no longer a figurehead, Miko reminded herself. Her affairs were her own, and nobody else's. And it was undignified to keep skulking around like this.

“Byakuren,” she said, in a light, conversational tone. “I think that it's time to admit that we love each other.”


	10. Reimu and Marisa - Childhood/Are You Challenging Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by an anonymous Tumblr user and seirensen

“I'm not supposed to play with kids from the village. The head shrine maiden will get mad,” Reimu said, for what had to be the fifth or sixth time. “You oughta go home before it gets dark.”

“I'm tellin' you, I'm a real witch!” the strange girl shouted. “Not to brag or anything, but I'm gonna be the strongest person around here, pretty soon. You oughta feel _lucky_ that I'm comin' here now, and not in a few months when I'm way stronger.”

“Uh-huh.” Reimu rested her hand in her chin and looked down at her. A plain yukata, dark blue with a white flower pattern, stained with mud around the knees... “You don't look like a witch.”

The girl scowled. “Clothes don't mean anything! I can kick your butt without 'em!”

“Not much of a witch, though...” Reimu reached back and gave her bow a demonstrative tug. “See? This is how people know I'm a shrine maiden.”

“Rrgh.” The girl grumbled and looked away, crossing her arms. “So if I dress right, will you fight me, or not?”

“I don't know, maybe.”

“Ugh. Fine then. I'll be back in a few days, okay? You'd better be training!”

* * *

Reimu hadn't trained. In fact, she'd forgotten about it within a few hours. When the girl showed up again, a month later, it took her a moment to even remember the encounter. “Oh, you're back.”

“Yep! Ready for a butt-kickin'? I'm dressed like a witch now!”

“Yeah, I guess you are.” Reimu couldn't really debate that. She had a broom and a pointy hat, _and_ her clothes were black. Her nose wasn't crooked and bumpy, like in the books, but she couldn't hold that against her. It was enough to pique Reimu's interest, at least. “So what kind of powers do you got?”

“Well, uh.” The girl raised her hands and squinted at them. Her forehead crinkled up in concentration, and her tongue poked out of the corner of her mouth. After a good twenty seconds of this, a brief shower of multicolored sparks shot out of her fingertips. “Hah! Pretty neat, huh?”

It was simultaneously the coolest and most pathetic thing that Reimu had seen in her entire life. “Ehh, I don't know... can you fly?”

“Huh? Not... not really.”

“The head shrine maiden can fly. And she can shoot like a thousand times as many things.”

“Y-yeah, well... can _you_ fly?”

“I'm practicing,” Reimu said proudly. To demonstrate, she levitated a few centimeters off of the shrine's step. Even that was a bit wobbly, but it was definitely more than most people could do. “See?”

The girl watched, with a mixture of amazement and annoyance. “Can't really do that...”

“I don't think you could really fight that much, then. Most youkai can fly. How are you going to hit them that far away?”

The girl glared up at her, blinking back tears. “... s-so if I learn to fly and stuff...?”

Reimu sighed and waved her hand dismissively. “I don't know, maybe. It'd be a pretty boring fight if you can't, though.”

* * *

Years passed. The head shrine maiden was killed by some vampire. Barely thirteen years old, Reimu became the new Hakurei shrine maiden. She went through a rushed training regimen to take over the duties. In a matter of weeks, it seemed like everything in her life had changed.

So why was that annoying weirdo back?

She introduced herself this time by shoving a metal doohicky in Reimu's face. Pulling it away, she grinned. “Bet you didn't think you were gonna see _me_ again, huh?”

“I was kind of hoping I wouldn't,” Reimu said, and glanced to the... metal thing. “Why are you here?”

“Because, I'm finally all set to kick your butt. See?” The girl hopped backward, and with a flourish, whipped her broomstick under herself. She ended up floating in midair, sitting on it. “This flyin' thing isn't so hard, after the first few broken bones.”

“Huh. Can you fight, though?”

“Heh. Check _this_ out.” The girl held the device up and squinted at something in the distance. A second or two later, it blasted out a thin beam of energy. A fallen log on the edge of the shrine grounds exploded in a cloud of steam and debris, and she turned back to Reimu, looking so proud that she might burst.

“I guess you're pretty much ready to hunt youkai,” Reimu conceded.

“Dang right, I am! So are you gonna fight me, or are you still too chicken?”

Reimu crossed her arms with a frown, but she really couldn't find an excuse this time. She was dressed like a witch, she could fly, and she could apparently shoot. And Reimu _had_ been hurting for a practice partner ever since the shrine maiden—er, former shrine maiden—had died. “I don't know, I guess we can try it,” she said with a sigh.

“Hehe, great.” The girl transferred the metal device to one hand, then thrust out the other for a handshake. “Name's Marisa Kirisame. Ready to get your butt kicked?”


	11. Alice and Marisa - Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Tumblr user making-rice-mistakes.

In a deep, lonely patch of the Forest of Magic, of no particular interest to anybody, stood a radio tower.

It had seen better days. Decades of rain had left it smudged with rust. The withered corpses of long-dead vines still clung to its frame. A few scattered items—a sake bottle, a pile of faded newspapers, the remains of a cardboard pinwheel—attested to a short second life as a hideaway for fairies, but now it had outlived even that purpose.

Alice did not look at all happy as she inspected it from the ground. "Is this really your idea of a good spot for a date?"

"Yep!" Marisa held out her hand. "Here, gimme the basket."

Alice hesitated, not wanting to encourage this foolishness any further than she had to. But, there was no harm in doing that much, she supposed. "Here," she said, and handed it over.

"Great! So, check this out." After leaning her broom against the side of the tower, Marisa hopped into the air and hovered upward. Dozens of meters above the ground, she came to a stop just short of the tower's peak and lightly settled onto it. She grabbed onto a beam for support and leaned forward, dangling with nothing below her. "See? There's a little platform up here!"

"Yes, I can see!" Alice shouted back up. "I suppose you're going to expect me to come up there."

"Yep!"

Alice sighed, and considered turning around and walking home. They hadn't traveled that far. In ten minutes, tops, she could be back indoors. But... she had made a promise to let Marisa pick the spot for this date. It was only fair to make an attempt to honor it. "Fine," she muttered, mostly to herself, and floated upward.

When she reached the platform, Alice very hesitantly let her weight settle onto it. At this height, there were less plants clinging to the tower. Instead, long rust stains extended beneath every joint. "Are you sure this is safe?"

"Hmm? Yeah, I've been up here lots of times. Watch!" Without waiting for a response, Marisa grabbed onto the struts on either side of herself, then began rocking back and forth forcefully. After a few repetitions, the structure began swaying in time with her. A quiet groan of protest ran through the metal. "See? Safe!"

“Wonderful,” Alice said, too tense to be sarcastic. She forced herself to exhale and release her death grip on the nearest beam, then stepped forward to the edge of the platform.

Alice had sewn a white sundress just for the occasion. Weeks worth of lazy afternoons had gone into it. Each stitch was the product of a lifetime of practice. … so, she cringed as she settled down to sit next to Marisa. Rust stains didn't come out easily.

“Hey, there ya go,” Marisa said, completely oblivious to Alice's internal torment. “I, uh. I know it's not really the most exotic spot in Gensokyo or nothin', but... I dunno. I like the view.”

Alice followed Marisa's gaze out over the scenery. The tip of the tower was just tall enough to peek above the canopy. Below, an endless forest of rolling green treetops stretched toward the horizon. Beyond, the shape of Youkai Mountain stuck up above them. From this distance, it was hazy, cloaked in a thick curtain of mist from its many snowmelt-engorged waterfalls. The sun was setting almost directly behind it, surrounding the mountain with an aura of rainbows.

“It's beautiful, actually,” Alice said. “I have to admit, I'm surprised that you picked somewhere so... conventionally pretty.”

“Huh? What d'you mean?”

“Usually your definition of nice scenery is more like... interesting lichen.”

“That was just the one time,” Marisa said with a huff. She resumed looking out over the scenery, and soon a devious smile spread on her face. With a suspiciously casual voice, she added, “Besides, you oughta know that I can appreciate pretty stuff too.”

“Is that so.”

“Yep! I mean, I'm dating you, after all.”

“That was incredibly corny,” Alice said, after ensuring that a second or two had passed in silence. Chastising Marisa was a careful balance. If she acted too annoyed, Marisa just seemed to feed off of it. After another short wait, she allowed herself a smile. “... but thank you.”

“Hehe. You're welcome.” As she settled in, Marisa started swinging her dangling legs. The tower was soon rocking gently along with her motions.

Alice simply had no choice but to hold her hand in case one of them fell.


	12. Kogasa and Raiko - Rainbow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by an anonymous Tumblr user.

To most of Gensokyo's tsukumogami, Raiko Horikawa was the stuff of legends. She had fought for the rights of all tools. She had found a technique to make her existence independent of her drum set. She had stood up to the shrine maiden and nearly won. She was a hero. She was a _saint_.

She was currently walking down the road, and she was soaking wet.

Once she'd gotten a peek, Kogasa slid back into her hiding spot among the underbrush and did the only rational thing that she could under the circumstances: she panicked. She'd been laying in wait to jump out and scare a human. Bumping into one of her idols here, in the pouring rain... not so much.

Kogasa peeked through the foliage again. Raiko was getting close. With mere seconds to make a decision, she decided to seize the opportunity. Pushing the underbrush aside, she hurried out onto the pathway in front of the redhead.

Raiko came to a surprised stop. “... can I help you?”

“I...!” Kogasa hadn't planned this far ahead. “I'm Ko—...! Um! M-Miss Hori—...! I-I, um! I mean!”

Kogasa shrank back, trembling in frustration as her tongue and her brain refused to coordinate. It seemed to happen a lot. She'd never been very good at improvisation. Or confidence. Most things, really. Kogasa didn't have many strong points except for her ability to block water. In one last attempt, she thrust her umbrella forward and desperately blurted, “Umbrella?!”

“Yes, that's an umbrella,” Raiko agreed, with a mix of concern and amusement. “Are you okay?”

“Um.” Kogasa took a deep breath. “If you want. I could, um. Cover you with it. If you want.”

Raiko held her gaze, and for a moment, Kogasa was terrified that she still hadn't gotten her point across. Then, she finally spoke. “Yeah, sure, if it's not too much trouble. Thanks for the help.”

* * *

The two walked in silence. Rain poured down around them. Above, the raindrops pounded on the umbrella, beating out a steady rhythm. Within a few minutes, she'd relaxed enough to scoot closer, shielding Raiko from every single raindrop at the cost of a little personal space.

She still seized up in anxiety when Raiko said, “So, it's Kogasa, right?”

“A-ah, um, yes! It is!” Kogasa said, and reminded her feet that they needed to keep moving. “How... did you know?”

“I'm trying to learn the names of every tsukumogami around. I've heard a lot about you.”

“Oh...” Kogasa faltered again. She could only assume that any rumors about her were bad ones.

Kogasa realized too late that Raiko was studying her expression with a look of clear amusement. “Hey, kid, relax. I'm not going to bite you, okay? You're doing me a big favor here.”

“O-oh, right, um! Sorry!”

“And you don't need to apologize.”

“Sor—!” Kogasa found herself apologizing out of sheer reflex, and nearly bit her tongue off stopping it. She went silent again, and her heartbeat slowly returned to normal, coaxed along by the _tap-a-tap-tap_ rhythm of the rain. Had the rain always done that? She couldn't be sure. It was like her own miniature marching drum. Listening to it, she felt bolder. “It's just... I've heard a lot about you too. Um. Can I ask you a question?”

“Shoot.”

“Why don't you have an umbrella? Somebody as important as you sh—“

“Important?” Chuckling, Raiko glanced over to her. “Me?”

“Well! I mean, you did save a bunch of tsukumogami after that incident, and they say you're pretty strong...”

“Now you're just flattering me.”

“A-ah!” Kogasa jerked upright, and only the fact that she was holding her umbrella kept her from gesturing in frantic apology. “No, I just mean...!”

“Relax. I'm okay with it,” Raiko said, with a practiced wink. As Kogasa stumbled and nearly tripped into the mud next to her, she continued, “... as for the umbrella thing, I haven't picked one out yet. Choosing a tool is important. I want to take my time and find one that shows the craftsman's care. One that will last a long time and I can give a good home. If we can't treat our tools better than the humans, what's the point, y'know?”

“R-right! Well, um, if you need one...”

Raiko raised one eyebrow. “Offering yourself?”

“Well, if you'd be okay with it...!”

“No.” Kogasa wilted, and Raiko offered her a reassuring smile. “If we're going to build a paradise for tools, we have to figure out what it means to live without serving people. That means you, too.”

Kogasa stared. _So cool..._ “I-I'll try my best!”

“Good. … now that that's settled, are you going to start walking again?”

“Eh?” Kogasa hadn't even realized that she'd slowed to a stop during the conversation. “A-ah! Right!” She scrambled forward, and with a chuckle, Raiko hurried to catch up.

* * *

After a few last bursts of effort, the rain slowed down to a gentle trickle. Soon enough, even that faded away, leaving the sun shining through the clouds and rapidly-evaporating puddles on the ground. In the haze of moisture left behind, a wan rainbow stretched across the sky.

Kogasa had always had mixed feelings about rainbows. They were pretty. Really, really pretty, she thought. But a rainbow usually marked the end of a rain shower. A rainbow was a sign to the world that umbrellas were no longer needed.

Today was no exception. Raiko paused at a crossroads and jerked her thumb toward one of the forks. “I'm headed this way. It looks like the rain's gone, so I can handle myself from here. Thanks for the help.”

“Yeah... no problem.” Kogasa slumped down, her fingers worrying at the handle of the umbrella, and added, “It was nice meeting you,” her voice barely above a whisper.

Raiko turned and inspected her. “Hey, kid.”

“Huh?”

Kogasa looked up to find Raiko watching the rainbow on the horizon, with her fingers interlaced behind her head. “You shouldn't work for nothing. I told you, I don't want to be like humans. You deserve some kind of reward, don't you think?”

“Oh, no, it's fine! I don't really need money or anything anyway...”

“Are you sure?”

“I wouldn't know what to do with it,” Kogasa said, with an apologetic laugh.

“Hmm. No money, huh? Well, how about this?” Raiko pivoted smoothly on one heel. Very suddenly, Kogasa found herself face-to-face with the other tsukumogami. She managed a very brief, “E-eh?” of surprise before Raiko leaned in for a quick kiss on her cheek.

When Kogasa's brain recovered from its shock and drifted back to reality, several seconds later, it found Raiko watching her with a smirk. “So, are we even?”

“I—um—y-you—“ Kogasa stammered. She had to resist rubbing the spot on her cheek where Raiko had kissed her. It still felt warm. “... yeah.”


	13. Homura and Mami - No Way Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Tumblr user chrisyukine.

Mami could do practically anything with ribbons, Homura had realized long ago. She could make them into guns. She could shape them into decoys. She could swing from them, deflect bullets with them, bind enemies with them. It was what made her so dangerous. Her guns were the most powerful weapon in Mitakihara, sure, but her ribbons were the real threat. They were what had let her survive this long, through finding every possible way to push the limits of her abilities.

Tonight, Homura had been hoping to make her way into Mami's apartment unnoticed. As she'd silently slid through the window, though, her foot had brushed against some unseen object. She'd recognized the familiar texture of a taut ribbon a moment too late. Even as she recoiled, golden cloth and light had burst out beneath her. In the blink of an eye, she'd been wrapped up, her arms bound to her sides too tightly to move.

Mami could do practically anything with ribbons. So, in retrospect, Homura wasn't surprised at finding an invisible ribbon trap guarding Mami's window. Just very, very dismayed.

“Mmh? Who's there? Kyouko-chan?” Mami's voice came from the other side of the apartment. It sounded like she'd been woken up. Normally, a disadvantage like that would have given Homura all the edge that she needed to escape. Instead, she could only wait. A burst of golden light shined under the doorway, and a second later, Mami stepped out the door, already in her magical girl outfit and with a musket in hand.

Mami didn't look great. There was only so much that the magical girl transformation could do, and it couldn't mask those bags under her eyes. She flicked the lights on and, squinting against the sudden illumination, turned to inspect Homura. A smile of recognition soon lit up her face. “Ah. You're the magical girl who has been stalking me, aren't you? I _thought_ I'd seen somebody last night.”

Homura held her gaze. This was how to deal with Mami Tomoe at a disadvantage, she knew. _Don't struggle, don't attempt to hide anything. Make it clear that you aren't a threat to her._ “My name is Akemi Homura.”

“It's nice to meet you, Akemi-san,” Mami said, with only the slightest undertone of sarcasm. “Do you mind telling me what you're doing in my apartment at...” She glanced toward the clock. “... two AM? Almost three, goodness.”

“You don't know me. But I don't want to hurt you, Mami Tomoe. I was—“

“Oh? And how do you know my name?”

“It's...” Homura hesitated. “Telling you would put you in danger.” It would, in a way. Mami had never taken the I'm-a-time-traveller-and-I'm-here-to-save-my-friend-from-becoming-a-witch story well.

Mami studied her face, seeming to debate whether Homura was a really audacious liar or just a bad one. “And what are you doing here?”

“I was... going to leave a grief seed for you. Your soul gem is growing dark.”

“Oh? Where is this grief seed, Akemi-san?” Mami said, with exaggerated patience that made it clear that she was only playing along because she was amused by this series of apparent terrible lies.

“I can't show you with my arms tied up.” It was true. The seed was hidden inside of her shield.

“Well! That's a very interesting story. … I don't believe a word of it, but it's interesting.” Mami sighed. “I really don't want to kill you, but it isn't safe to let you go if I don't know what you were actually planning to do. Fortunately for you, I don't have school tomorrow, so you have plenty of time to decide which you prefer.” With a forced, but sunny, smile, she said, “Would you like some tea while you think, Akemi-san?”

* * *

Homura passed on the tea. Mami had a cup for herself anyway, and pulled a chair over to watch her captive while she sipped it. When it was finished, she went about her routines as well as she could with a girl tied up in her living room. She did the dishes, folded laundry, caught up on her homework. In between tasks, she stopped by to offer Homura the chance to confess her sins.

Homura passed on that, too. She spent the whole time in thought. It wasn't like there was much else to do. At first, trying to find a solution to her problem. As the night wore on into morning, her thoughts drifted to other topics, like how she'd gotten here.

There was no reason to risk herself for Mami like this. She had been reckless to do, of course. But... Mami had been there at the start, just like Madoka. The two of them had rescued her together. Fighting alongside them, she had felt like she had somewhere that she _belonged_.

Coming here had been foolish. It was motivated by emotion, not by necessity. But... emotions were the only guide that Homura had left. If she lost even those, she would become a witch in short order.

“Tomoe-san,” she said, once Mami came into earshot again. “I'm ready to tell you the truth.”

“Oh?” Mami said. Crossing her arms, she turned to inspect Homura skeptically. “And what's the truth?”

Homura stared at the floor, still second-guessing herself. She'd arrived at the only plan she could think of that might end with both of them leaving this apartment alive and well, but it was risky. Emotions had gotten her into this situation. She'd just have to rely on them to get her back out, too. “The truth is that I can't tell you everything right now. But you saved my life once. You were my senpai. And... one of my first friends. I know that you don't remember me, but I remember you. I...” Homura's voice cracked, and she realized a moment too late that she was tearing up. Some logical, detached part of herself thought, _good, that will make it more convincing_ , but it was legitimate, she knew. It had been a very long time, a dozen time loops at least, since she had been able to deal with Mami as a friend. 

She missed those days. “I-I don't want to hurt you,” Homura finished, mumbling.

Mami watched this display of emotion, clearly surprised by the show of unrestrained emotion. “Well. Akemi-san,” she said, after a long, silent pause. “It sounds like we have a lot of catching up to do, don't we?”

Homura's bindings went slack and fell to the floor.


End file.
